Senior Matters 'cause Seniors Matter!
Q&A
What do you picture when you think of a senior person?
What age decade do you think someone becomes a senior?
When should a senior retire?
How do other cultures treat their seniors?
When you think of 70 year olds acting like 50, or a 50 year old living like they're 70... The line becomes quite blurred, with who's 'older'
Of cause everyone would agree that an 80 year old is definately a 'senior' citizen.
So where is the official line that defines Aussies as Seniors?
The answer is 60 years old.
I applied for my seniors card, to try claim all the discounts (I never remember to ask for... when I received the card I was delighted to read the official letter thanking me for being such a wonderful contributer to the Australian community 😇👍 but deep down... something inside me screaming... I'M NOT OLD!
The years of constantly struggling with CPTD anxiety & depression... the years have got away with me and now, im old 😞.... reality is... my body is ageing... the mirror says so, there's wrinkles, there's grey and white streaks, its harder to move, I'm forgetful, i get nervous, lack confidence, I dither and rummage in my handbag, people are starting to pop off around me more, hospital doctors all look 12 yrs old and my friend's kids have grandkids.... This is entirely unacceptable state of affairs and I need support.
I go to the doctor... but sadly even doctors bother less with our aches and pains and worries. She says:
"All part of ageing" -
"not much we can do"...
"not much point doing an x-ray when it's almost definately just arthritis..." 😞 In other words
SUCK IT UP!
Why don't they just have a 'morning after 60 pill' or a euthenasia back door.. How can i face this ageing thing and all the sadness by myself when the doctors even don't care.? Really triggers the SI, how can they not know this and be kinda?
There
was a distinct difference in the way I'm treated since turning 60.
Always echoing in my mind is the comment a GP said about one of his older seniors "past her useby date" Oh dear, it's like we're already dead, but
we just gotta go on like we're not and won't. 😟 😞 Can't stop the decline. Just have to
- roll with the punches
- go with the flow
- age gracefully ...
But sadly, even in Mental Health, there's this undercurrent that "it's too late" for us seniors. Set in our ways they say... the less likely we are to change... and that might be true because we've seen so much, morphed for others a million times, and yes, kinda somewhat disillusioned with constantly changing systems that focus on money more than humanity... Sometimes I wonder if some structures are created to puff out the workforce more than service provision.
But truth is, my biggest hurdle is my deep beliefs about ageing.
- I planned to 'check out' at 50 because everyone gets sick after 50...
- i should have it all together at my age (ha, not happening, getting worse)
- the Kidz will bring the grandkids over for Sunday lunch and I'll love cooking for them... (not happening)
- my hubby will grow old with me, and talk together and hold me close every night. (didn't happen😞)
DOES ANYONE RELATE? OR HAVE A SENIOR ISSUE TO TALK ABOUT?
Appleblossom and Peace have raised senior issues this week...
- RETIREMENT and MOBILITY
I'm hesitant to reveal my age these days, so when it's non consequential, I take off 10yrs. People listen more to 52yr old than they do to 60yr old.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE 60 TO CHAT HERE. OR REVEAL YOUR AGE.
Just love to hear your experiences.
EOR 💌
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